Sports -Big 12 Men's Basketball notebook 02/12/01

Published: Monday, February 12, 2001

When Texas Tech tangles with Texas Tuesday in Austin, the Longhorns will be looking to start a new homecourt winning streak. Oklahoma snapped UT's 25-game home streak Saturday with a 75-54 victory at the Erwin Center. The Sooners have beaten the 'Horns in 20 of the past 24 meetings, including five of the past 10 in Austin.

The 21-point loss was UT's worst at home since Kansas drubbed the Longhorns 102-72 in 1998.

The Red Raiders have lost seven games in a row to Texas, which matches Tech's longest skid against any foe. The seven-game streak is also the second longest for the Raiders in the 104-game series versus the 'Horns. Tech lost 11 straight from 1988-93.

Tech's current five-game losing streak is its longest since the Raiders dropped eight in a row last season. Tech has endured at least five consecutive Big 12 losses in each of the last three seasons.

The Raiders' past four losses have been decided by a total of 20 points. Three of Tech's past six games have been settled by two points or less.

Ten of the past 13 Big 12 games since Feb. 5 have been decided by eight points or less.

Despite Saturday's loss, Texas remains one of the league's best home teams. Iowa State (13-0), Missouri (11-0) and Oklahoma State (8-0) are unbeaten at home this season, while the Longhorns (13-1), Kansas (11-1) and Oklahoma (10-1) have been knocked off just once on their own floors in 2000-2001.

Kansas State is just 1-4 at home in Big 12 Conference play this season following a 70-63 loss to Colorado on Saturday. The Wildcats, who play host to Tech on Saturday, have lost their past three games at Bramlage Coliseum by a total of 10 points.

Baylor held Nebraska's two leading scorers Cookie Belcher and Kimani Ffriend to 5 points combined in a 69-58 victory Saturday. The Bears made seven 3-pointers against the Huskers to improve to 14-1 this season when they hit six or more shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

Kansas sophomore Drew Gooden will miss at least the Jayhawks' next three games with a wrist injury. Gooden, who injured the wrist against Texas on Feb. 3, leads the Big 12 in double-doubles this season with nine.

Missouri senior guard Brian Grawer tied a school record by hitting eight 3-point field goals Sunday in the Tigers' 72-64 loss at Iowa State. He has 14 treys in his past two games.

Missouri junior Clarence Gilbert was suspended indefinitely last week after an argument with an assistant coach. Gilbert is Mizzou's second-leading scorer with 17 points a game, and combined with the loss of Kareem Rush the leading scorer in the Big 12 at 21.9 points a contest the Tigers are without just over 50 percent of their offensive production.

Kansas head coach Roy Williams needs one victory to move into second place on the Jayhawks' all-time victory list. Williams is tied with Ted Owens at 348.